Should you open a Turkish restaurant in Southwark?
Southwark scores 56 out of 100 on our demand index — possible, but competitive. The council currently has 34 Turkish restaurants against an estimated 1,720 monthly searches for Turkish food, which works out to roughly 8,314 residents for every Turkish restaurant already trading here. The single biggest factor behind that number is review volume per restaurant, which ranks higher here than in most other councils in England and Wales. That combination of supply, search interest and population is what the verdict above is based on: Southwark looks possible, but competitive for someone weighing up whether to open a Turkish restaurant in the area, relative to every other council we track.
Read next: How to Open a Turkish Restaurant in the UK in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide
How this score breaks down
How Southwark compares in London
Southwark ranks 21 of 33 councils in London by demand score, and 10 of 33 by number of Turkish restaurants. The table below shows its four nearest neighbours by score.
Where the gap is
- Searches per restaurant here run at 46 a month, well below the 108-a-month median across councils with reliable data — a sign the market may already be saturated relative to demand.
The hygiene picture
Of the 35 Turkish food businesses we hold hygiene data for in Southwark, 68% are rated 5 (the top FSA score) and 5% are rated 2 or below, with 2 still awaiting inspection — hygiene standards locally are mixed, leaving room to differentiate on cleanliness.
Where they cluster: Most Turkish restaurants in Southwark sit in SE1, SE15 and SE16 — 15 in SE1, 5 in SE15, 5 in SE16.
Restaurants already here
| # | Name | Postcode | Hygiene rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Bolu kebab restaurant | SE5 8TR | 5 |
| 02 | Coco grill and lounge | SE1 2YG | 5 |
| 03 | Ev restaurant bar and delicatessen | SE1 8DD | 5 |
| 04 | Fes restaurant | SE17 1JE | 5 |
| 05 | Fm mangal | SE5 8QZ | 5 |
| 06 | Lokma | SE1 3UN | 5 |
| 07 | Tas | SE1 9DR | 5 |
| 08 | Tas restaurant | SE1 1XF | 5 |
and 27 more See every Turkish restaurant in Southwark →
What it would cost here
Fitting out a 100 m² Turkish restaurant in Southwark with a mid-range fit-out, using our London cost assumptions, comes to roughly £215,652 – £419,166 up front. The two largest lines are fit-out & build (£121,500 – £202,500) and kitchen equipment (£20,847 – £76,060).
Open the full cost calculator for Southwark →
Planning estimate only — see the cost calculator for the full breakdown and assumptions.
Frequently asked questions
- How many Turkish restaurants are in Southwark?
- Southwark currently has 34 Turkish restaurants.
- Is there demand for a Turkish restaurant in Southwark?
- Yes — an estimated 1,720 monthly searches relate to Turkish food in Southwark, giving it a demand score of 56/100.
- What would it cost to open a Turkish restaurant in Southwark?
- A 100 m² restaurant with a mid-range fit-out costs roughly £215,652 – £419,166 to open in Southwark, based on our cost model.
- How does Southwark compare to the rest of London?
- Southwark scores 56/100 and ranks 21 of 33 in London. The region's top-scoring council is Kensington and Chelsea, at 90/100.
Thinking about opening here?
Tell us where, and we'll send you the local numbers — population, competition, and rent benchmarks.